Virus warning: Return of Sobig is so bad for spam

Spreading like wildfire and there’s worse to come for your inbox… DO NOT OPEN ‘Re: Application’, or ‘Re:Movie’… A new variant of the Sobig virus has started spreading worldwide, raising fears that spammers will have a host of new PCs to use as platforms for sending bulk email. Initial analysis by antivirus companies indicated that the mass-mailing computer worm, called Sobig.E, doesn’t have a malicious payload. However, MessageLabs believes spammers will use the virus’s mail program on victims’ computers to send anonymous messages. Mark Sunner, chief technology officer for MessageLabs, said: “This is almost certainly being precipitated by a spammer that is trying to create more open relays to send spam.” An open relay is a computer that accepts email bound for other destinations and then resends the messages anonymously. Using open relays allows spammers to hide the location from which they are sending bulk email and avoid detection and prosecution. Full Story

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